Thomas Gray to William Mason (23 May 1767) Alexander Huber Editor Thomas Gray Archive
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Oxford

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 USA New York, NY New York Public Library Humanities and Social Sciences Library Henry W. And Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature

The original letter is extant and usually available for academic research purposes

 Correspondence of Thomas Gray, 3 vols. Ed. by the late Paget Toynbee and Leonard Whibley, with corrections and additions by H. W. Starr. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971 [1st ed. 1935], letter no. 440, vol. iii, 957-958 http://www.e-enlightenment.com/search/letters/print/?printref_sourceedition=graythOU0084&printref_docnumber=440 The Correspondence of Thomas Gray and William Mason, with Letters to the Rev. James Brown, D.D. Ed. by the Rev. John Mitford. London: Richard Bentley, 1853, letter CVII, 380-381 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/MiJ_1853/1/380 The Letters of Thomas Gray, including the correspondence of Gray and Mason, 3 vols. Ed. by Duncan C. Tovey. London: George Bell and Sons, 1900-12, letter no. CCXCVIII, vol. iii, 137-138 https://www.thomasgray.org/texts/diglib/primary/ToD_1900iii/1/137 Gray, Thomas, 1716-1771 London, United Kingdom Mason, William, 1724-1797 York, United Kingdom

Gregorian

 English Brown, James, 1709-1784 Hurd, Richard, 1720-1808 Stuart, James Mason, William, 1724-1797 Hurd, Dr. Richard Aston

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This letter is part of the correspondence calendar of the complete correspondence of Thomas Gray. The calendar contains detailed bibliographic records for all known original, copied, or published letters written by or to the poet as well as the full-text, where available. Each record is accompanied by digitised images of the manuscript, where available, or digitised images of the first printed edition.

 Library of Congress Name Authority File (LCNAF) Jermyn-Street. 23 May. 1767. Dear Mason

All this time have I been waiting to say something to the purpose, & now am just as far off as at first. Stuart appointed Mr Weddell an hour, when I was to meet him, & (after staying an infinite while at his lodgings in expectation) he never came: indeed he was gone out of Town. the drawing & your questions remain in Weddell's hands to be shew'd to this Rogue, as soon as he can meet with him: but I firmly believe, when he has got them, he will do nothing. so you must tell me, what I am to do with them. I have shew'd the Epitaph to no one but Hurd, who entirely approves it. he made no objection, but to one line (& that was mine) Heav'n lifts &c: so if you please to make another, you may: for my part I rather like it still.

I begin to think of drawing northwards (if my wretched matters will let me) & am going to write to Mr Brown about it. you are to consider, whether you will be able or willing to receive us at Aston about a fortnight hence, or whether we are to find you at York, where I suppose you to be at present. this you will let me know soon, & if I am disappointed, I will tell you in time. you will tell me, what to do with your Zumpe, wch has amused me much here. if you would have it sent down, I had better commit it to its Maker, who will tune it & pack it up. Dr Long has bought the fellow to it. the base is not quite of a piece with the treble, & the higher notes are somewhat dry & sticky: the rest discourses very eloquent musick.

Adieu! Dear Sr, I am ever Yours T G:

Gisburne, Fraser, & Stonhewer, often enquire kindly after you, with many more.